Chapter 25: Three Women in Yellow
Sarah was Lily’s half sister.
Daniel had never known she existed.
Their father had another family before marrying Daniel’s mother.
Victoria discovered Sarah years earlier and paid her to impersonate Lily whenever necessary.
Sarah claimed she had stopped cooperating after learning Ethan was involved.
“Why should we believe you?” Daniel asked.
“Because I’m the one who pulled him from the church.”
Ethan studied her face.
“You sounded like Mommy.”
“I practiced for years.”
Claire felt disturbed by how carefully Victoria had built the deception.
Mara wore the yellow coat to distract surveillance.
Sarah wore it to impersonate Lily.
And the real Lily remained hidden.
Daniel demanded proof that Sarah was related to him.
She produced a photograph of their father holding two infant girls.
On the back were the names Lily and Sarah.
“Twins?” Daniel whispered.
Sarah nodded.
Separated at birth.
Victoria had raised Lily and placed Sarah with another family.
“Why?”
“Because their father owed her money.”
The story grew darker.
Victoria had controlled their family for decades.
Sarah revealed that Caleb was not merely Victoria’s employee.
He was her son.
And he believed Ethan’s trust was his inheritance.
Claire looked at the video call.
Victoria had disconnected.
But the background behind Lily offered clues.
A green wall.
A stained-glass window.
The sound of bells.
Sarah recognized it.
“Saint Matthew’s boarding school.”
The school had been abandoned after a flood.
They arrived after midnight.
Inside the chapel, they found Lily chained beneath the altar.
This time, Daniel checked the scar.
Left wrist.
Real.
Ethan ran to her.
Lily held him and whispered, “You remembered the promise.”
“What promise?” Claire asked.
Lily looked at the plastic ring.
“The proposal was never just a sweet moment.”
She removed the fake gemstone.
Beneath the memory-card slot was another compartment.
May you like
Inside was a tiny key.
“The real archive,” Lily said, “is beneath the wedding venue.”
